Organised young criminals suspected in Algoa Bus robberies

A GROUP of organised young criminals are suspected to be behind the robbery at gunpoint of Algoa Bus passengers in two separate incidents last week.

The Police and Algoa Bus Company have put strategies in place to deal with the robberies which left a woman (50) wounded.

Algoa Bus CEO Sicelo Duze said he believes that the robberies were in retaliation by a group of criminals after the bus company had beefed up their security by putting safety locks on their money containers to prevent more robberies.

“I think that these thieves are now retaliating against us by targeting our passengers,” said Duze.

Duze said they have had continuous meetings with top officials within the police force. “We have strategies in place to prevent this from happening, which I am sure you can appreciate that I am unable to share with you,” he said.

The robberies took place last week Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon with over 30 commuters on the buses during both incidents.

During both incidents three men, armed with fire-arms, got into the bus, which was en route to Uitenhage, at the same bus stop in Joe Slovo Informal Settlement.

An eyewitness of Monday’s incident said the robbers walked away with jewellery, cell phones and an undisclosed amount of money.

“They came in with guns and demanded we give them our valuables. I was seated at the back and I managed to hide my cellphone and money.

“One of the men pointed the gun at me and I told him I had nothing in my bag. I was lucky because as one of the guys was trying to snatch my bag, one passenger started having an asthma attack. They ran out with people’s valuables. It was the most traumatic experience of my life,” said the passenger.

The passenger said the bus driver then drove them to Mount Road police station where commuters reported the incident to the police.

Police Warrant Officer Dumile Gwavu said three armed men were also involved in the other incident, which took place at about 6:40pm on Wednesday.

“One was pointing at the driver while the other two searched the passengers for valuables. One woman was shot in the leg and the suspects fled. The woman was taken to Livingstone hospital were she was treated. No other passengers were injured,” said Gwavu.

Gwavu said the police had opened a case of attempted murder and robbery and no suspects had been arrested

– LIZEKA TANDWA

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